EcoWaste Coalition is a public interest network of community, church, school, environmental and health groups pursuing sustainable solutions
to waste, climate change and chemical issues facing the Philippines and the world.

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28 February 2018

Now that Malacañang has confirmed that the synchronized barangay and youth polls will push through as planned on May 14, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) and all contenders should waste no time preparing for cleaner and greener polls.

The EcoWaste Coalition, a waste and pollution watch group, pressed the poll body and all candidates gunning for barangay and youth council posts to rally behind a waste-free exercise of grassroots democracy.

“The nine-day campaign period from May 4 to 12 need not add to the swelling garbage problem facing many of our communities,” said Daniel Alejandre, Zero Waste Campaigner, EcoWaste Coalition.

“Instead of dirty political sorties, we request aspiring barangay and youth leaders to campaign in a clean manner that will reduce the generation of trash and prevent damage to the environment,” he added.

The group lamented the wastefulness of past national and local elections with the unbridled consumption of paper and plastic propaganda materials, the unrestrained littering in public assemblies, the open burning and dumping of campaign trash, and the illegal posting of posters and banners on trees and other forbidden places.

“We know it is a tall order but we hope to see less trash in the upcoming polls,” Alejandre said.

The group also expressed its hope that all candidates will include the protection of public health and the environment against waste and pollution in their poll campaign platforms.

To steer the candidates into clean and green campaigning, the EcoWaste Coalition urged COMELEC to reiterate the use of recyclable and environment-friendly campaign materials, and the avoidance of campaign materials that contain hazardous chemicals, as stated in COMELEC Resolution No. 9615.

The group also urged COMELEC to remind candidates to comply with local ordinances governing the use of plastic and related materials.

The group further urged COMELEC to enjoin candidates and their backers to abide by Republic Act 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, which, among other things, prohibits littering, open dumping and open burning of trash.

“We request COMELEC to use its legal and moral authority to sway candidates and their supporters to campaign in an environmentally-responsible and non-toxic way as this is beneficial for our nation and people,” the EcoWaste Coalition said.

As prescribed by the COMELEC, the filing of certificates of candidacy will begin on April 14 and end on April 20. The campaign period will be from May 4 to 12. Campaigning is banned on May 13, eve of the election day.

“Parties and candidates are hereby encouraged to use recyclable and environment-friendly materials and avoid those that contain hazardous chemicals and substances in the production of their campaign and election propaganda. In local government units where local legislation governing the use of plastic and other similar materials exist, parties and candidates shall comply with the same.”

23 February 2018

Laban Konsyumer, Inc., a consumer protection group, and the
EcoWaste Coalition, a toxics watch group, have cautioned that some cosmetic
products lack the required warning label to protect young children from
inhaling talc-based powder.

The groups made the observation following the dissemination by the Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) of the ASEAN Advisory Statement on Talc, which, among
other things, reiterated that talcum powders used in children must carry the
warning statement “keep powder away from children’s nose and mouth.”

The said warning label is intended to protect children from inhaling talc in powdery
products in line with the ASEAN, European and Canadian cosmetic labeling
requirements.

“It’s important for manufacturers to comply with cosmetic labeling
requirements under the ASEAN Cosmetic Directive (ACD) and national laws such as
the Consumer Act and the Food and Drug Administration Act to adequately guide consumers
on products to buy and their proper use,” said Atty. Vic Dimagiba, President,
Laban Konsyumer, Inc.

“Products intended for use by young children such as baby talcum powders must
bear the required warning statement to prevent and reduce potential health
risks from the inhalation of talc,” said Thony Dizon, Chemical Safety Campaigner,
EcoWaste Coalition.

The groups further sought assurance from manufacturers that talc used in their
products are asbestos-free, noting that asbestos must not form part of a
cosmetic formulation under the ACD.

The groups recalled that the FDA had earlier asked manufacturers, importers and
distributors of talc-containing cosmetics “to provide proof or certifications
of asbestos-free products sold in the market.”

Considering the ongoing debate regarding the possible link between the
application of talcum powder and the increased risk of ovarian cancer, the groups
proposed expanding the warning label to include the non-use of talcum powder in
the vaginal areas.

“As a precautionary measure, we suggest that manufacturers should also warn
against the use of talcum powder in the genital areas,” the groups said.

The groups noted that Bench/Daily Scent Refreshing Oil Control
Powder already carries a precautionary statement that says: “This product
contains talc which has been reported to cause certain illnesses.For you safety, this product should not be
applied on genital areas.”It further
claims to be “asbestos-free”

19 February 2018

The EcoWaste Coalition, a non-profit environment and health group, today alerted consumers against a toy stress reliever consisting of a putty substance and a small cube magnet that was recently withdrawn in Europe due to its excessive arsenic and lead content.

Citing information from the European Union’s Rapid Alert System (RAPEX) for dangerous non-food products, the group warned that public authorities in the United Kingdom have ordered Magnetic Putty to be withdrawn from the market for safety reasons.

“It’s possible that Magnetic Putty, which is sold online, is already being used by some Filipino children. To avoid serious chemical and choking risks, they should stop using the product immediately,” advised Thony Dizon, Chemical Safety Campaigner, EcoWaste Coalition.

The said toy is not duly notified with the Food and Drug Administration of the Philippines as per FDA’s website.

“We also urge online retailers to remove the listings for the banned toy following the moves by Amazon, eBay and Groupon as reported in the British media,” he said.

As of this time, e-commerce retailers Alibaba, Lazada and Shopee have yet to remove Magnetic Putty from their websites.

Based on the investigation conducted by UK’s Northamptonshire Trading Standards Service, the gold-colored Magnetic Putty contains high amounts of arsenic (measured value: 32.9mg/kg) and lead (measured value: 29 mg/kg).

“Arsenic is toxic and exposure to lead is harmful for human health and can cause developmental neurotoxicity,” the UK agency said.

The magnet is a small part with a high magnetic flux, it added.

“Children swallowing two or more magnets or a magnet and a metal object have previously required major surgery as the magnets are attracted to each other and may cause lacerations of the digestive tract,” the UK agency reported.

15 February 2018

The EcoWaste Coalition, a non-profit environmental and health group, gave online shopping sites Lazada and OLX two thumbs up for quickly removing third-party advertisements for banned cosmetics laced with mercury, a potent neurotoxin.

The group had earlier alerted the two e-shopping platforms about the alarming proliferation of unlawful ads for “Goree Beauty Cream with Lycopene with SPF 30 Avocado & Aloe Vera” and “Goree Day & Night Whitening Cream” that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had banned due to their mercury content.

The FDA in October last year issued Advisory No. 2017-289 warning the public against the purchase and use of the said Goree cosmetics after laboratory tests confirmed the presence of mercury above the maximum allowable limit of one part per million (ppm) as per the ASEAN Cosmetic Directive.

Imported from Pakistan, the banned Goree skin lightening cosmetics “have not gone through the verification process of the agency and have not been issued the proper authorization in the form of acknowledged cosmetic notifications.”

“Our group lauds both Lazada and OLX for duly responding to our notification regarding the inappropriate use of their sites by third-party merchants to sell mercury-laden skin whitening products banned by the FDA,” said Thony Dizon, Chemical Safety Campaigner, EcoWaste Coalition.“The removal of the deceptive ads will protect online shoppers from being duped into buying and using dangerous skin care products that promise to whiten the color of the skin,” he said.

“Their action is in step with the implementation of the Minamata Convention on Mercury, a global treaty to protect human health and the environment from the adverse effects of mercury, which, among other provisions, seeks to phase out mercury use in products such as skin lightening cosmetics with mercury above 1 ppm,” he added.

Based on the screening conducted by the EcoWaste Coalition using a handheld X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) device, Goree Beauty Cream had 25,300 ppm of mercury, while Goree Whitening Cream had 21,800 ppm, way above the trace amount limit of 1 ppm. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “the main adverse effect of the inorganic mercury in skin lightening soaps and creams is kidney damage.”

“Mercury in skin lightening products may also cause skin rashes, skin discoloration and scarring, as well as a reduction in the skin’s resistance to bacterial and fungal infections,” the WHO warned.

“Other effects include anxiety, depression or psychosis and peripheral neuropathy,” it further said.-end-

14 February 2018

The EcoWaste Coalition, a non-profit
watch group on toxic chemicals, lauded local craft makers for the apparent shift
to lead-free paints for decorating dog-inspired figurines in celebration of the
Chinese New Year of the Earth Dog.

According to the group’s latest
screening of painted lucky dog figurines using a handheld X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analyzer, eight of
the 12 samples bought from street
vendors in Quiapo, Manila for P25 to P250 each were found to contain no
detectable lead.

The other four samples had lead levels ranging from 205, 395, 795 and 6,578 parts
per million (ppm) exceeding the regulatory limit of 90 ppm for lead in paint.

“While
not all samples were negative for lead, we recognize the obvious switch to
lead-free decorative paints by local craft makers, many of which are small-sized
enterprises. This is a good indicator of
the efforts by commercial paint consumers to fit with the nation’s progressive shift
to paints without added lead,” said Thony Dizon, Chemical Safety Campaigner, EcoWaste
Coalition.

“We hope that by 2019, the year of the Earth Pig, all lucky pig figurines on
sale will be solely decorated with lead-free paints,” he added.

In 2016, the year of the Fire Monkey, lead content up to 7,800 ppm was detected
in brightly colored lucky monkey
figurines, while in 2017, the year of the Fire Rooster, lead up to 5,032 ppm was
detected in lucky rooster figurines.

Lead, a chemical that is harmful to human health, especially to the brain and
the central nervous system, is considered one of the “ten chemicals of major
public health concern” by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Studies have shown that lead exposure at an early age can result to reduced
intelligence, speech and language difficulties, hearing loss, decreased bone
and muscle growth, increased blood pressure, kidney damage and behavioral
problems, including aggression and violence.

Lead
exposure among adults can bring about miscarriage in women, reduced sperm count
in men, hypertension and other health problems.

Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Administrative Order
2013-24, or the Chemical Control Order for Lead and Lead Compounds, directed
the phase out of lead-containing architectural, household and decorative paints
effective December 31, 2016 after a three-year phase-out period.

The non-profit EcoWaste Coalition today made a pitch for safe cosmetics that pose no threats to human health and the environment on the eve of Valentine’s Day, a well-liked time for giving romantic beauty gifts.

Through an event dubbed as Miss Toxic Pretty 2018, the EcoWaste Coalition, in collaboration with the Manila Science High School (MSHS), staged an advocacy pageant attended by close to 300 Grade 9 consumer chemistry students to promote critical reflection and thinking about the purchase and use of personal care and cosmetic products.

The event came on the heels of a recent investigation by the group indicating the unabated sale of banned imported mercury-tainted skin whitening cosmetics in the local market and in online shopping sites.

“We have mounted this pageant to draw attention to cosmetic product ingredients that may cause serious health problems to consumers and the ecosystems and thus should be totally avoided,” said Thony Dizon, Chemical Safety Campaigner, EcoWaste Coalition.

“Chemicals associated with mental retardation, neurological and behavioral disorders, endocrine disruption, reproductive harm and cancer, as well as those that pollute the oceans and poison aquatic life, have no place in one’s beauty and hygiene routine,” he pointed out.

“Given the continued trade in counterfeit and hazardous cosmetics, we ask consumers to press for full information on chemicals in cosmetic products, including their health and environmental effects,” he added.

These cosmetic ingredients are either banned or restricted under the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), ASEAN, European Union and/or US regulations.

Mr. Emil Virtudes, President and Chairman of the Board of the Chamber of Cosmetics Industry of the Philippines, and Ms. Maria Eva Nacion, Principal of MSHS, graced the fun but educational Miss Toxic Pretty pageant.

During the pageant proper, the audience also had the opportunity to watch the seven-minute film “The Story of Cosmetics,” which examines the pervasive use of toxic chemicals in personal care products, and the two-minute film “The Story of Microbeads,” which discusses how plastic particles in cosmetics are dirtying the oceans.

The Miss Toxic Pretty pageant concluded with the candidates eagerly responding to the questions that delved on a range of issues, including the consumer right to product information, consumer access to non-hazardous products to teenage views on “kutis-artistahin” and “brown is beautiful.”

Lead is a harmful ingredient in some lipsticks that is particularly toxic to the brain and the central nervous system. While the ASEAN Cosmetic Directive (ACD) limit for lead in cosmetics is 20 parts per million (ppm) maximum, the EcoWaste Coalition has found unregistered lipsticks with lead content as high as 18,500 ppm.

Exposure to mercury in some skin whitening products may result to skin rashes, discoloration and scarring, decreased dermal resistance against bacterial and fungal infections, and kidney damage. Even though the ACD limits mercury in trace amount of one ppm, the EcoWaste Coalition has detected outrageous concentrations of mercury in dozens of contraband skin whitening cosmetics, including one with 96,100 ppm of mercury.

While still permitted as an anti-bacterial agent in the Philippines, the US FDA has banned triclosan, its chemical cousin triclocarban and 17 other chemical ingredients in hand and body washes starting September 2017.

The Philippine FDA, following the 2014 decision by the ASEAN Cosmetic Committee, banned isobutyl paraben and four other related preservatives, namely benzyl, isopropyl, phenyl and pentyl parabens, effective January 2016.

Also, the Philippine FDA in 2015 banned an artificial nail adhesive containing dibutyl phthalate, which is listed among the substances that “must not form part of the composition of cosmetic products” under the ACD.

While still allowed in the Philippines, the US federal law Microbead-Free Waters Act banned plastic microbeads, which refer to any solid plastic particle less than 5 mm in size, in personal care and cosmetic products from July 2017.

A
non-profit group promoting public health and safety appealed to e-shopping websites to delete posts
by third party sellers advertising banned skin lightening products from
Pakistan that are laden with toxic mercury.

Through a press statement, the EcoWaste Coalition urged Lazada and OLX to
immediately delist the numerous advertisements for “Goree Beauty Cream with
Lycopene with SPF 30 Avocado & Aloe Vera” and “Goree Day & Night
Whitening Cream” for the protection of their valued customers.

Last October 30, 2017, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued
Advisory No. 2017-289 warning the public against the purchase and use of the
above Goree cosmetics after finding mercury, a harmful chemical that is not
allowed in cosmetic product formulations, above the maximum trace amount of one
part per million (ppm).

“(These) products have not gone through the verification process of the agency
and have not been issued the proper authorization in the form of acknowledged
cosmetic notifications,” the advisory said.

“We request the management of Lazada, OLX and other online shopping platforms not to allow their sites to be used
for the unlawful sale of consumer products such as cosmetics that have not
passed the quality and safety verification by the authorities,” said Thony
Dizon, Chemical Safety Campaigner, EcoWaste Coalition.

“The ban on the sale of products containing health and environmentally-damaging
chemicals such as mercury also applies to the online marketplace and should be strictly
followed,” he pointed out.

Test buys carried out by the EcoWaste Coalition last month found the banned
Goree products being sold by retailers
of cosmetics and Chinese drugs in Divisoria and Quiapo, Manila in blatant
defiance of the FDA’s order “not to distribute the violative cosmetic products “

Chemical screening conducted by the group using a portable X-Ray Fluorescence
(XRF) device detected 25,300 ppm of mercury in Goree Beauty Cream and 21,800
ppm of mercury in the Goree Whitening Cream, way above the maximum allowable
limit of 1 ppm.

According to the FDA advisory, “adverse health
effects brought about by highly toxic mercury in cosmetics products include
kidney damage, skin rashes, skin discoloration and scarring. Chronic use
reduces the skin’s normal resistance against bacterial and fungal infections.”

“The transfer of mercury to fetuses of pregnant women may manifest as neurodevelopment
deficits later in life,” the FDA warned.

“We expect both Lazada and OLX to take swift action in response to our
urgent request like what they did in 2015,” he added.

The EcoWaste Coalition recalled Lazada and OLX in 2015, upon the request of the
group, speedily removed ads of mercury-containing skin whitening cosmetics, as
well as fat-burning slimming products with sibutramine and other restricted
ingredients.

A store attendant prepares the receipt for purchased skin whitening products with high mercury content.

A non-profit watch group on toxic chemicals and wastes
today revealed that retailers of contraband mercury-laden skin whitening
products in Manila are selling flagrantly, in broad daylight, despite
being warned by health authorities not to sell them.

The EcoWaste Coalition made the exposé following
its latest market investigation to check on the trade of mercury-containing
skin lightening cosmetics, which the group has been doing since 2011 to alert
and protect consumers, especially women and girls, against mercury
exposure.

The test buys conducted last week netted 10 brands of imported skin whitening
products without the required cosmetic product notifications from the Food and
Drug Administration (FDA). These products are included in the list
of over 135 skin whitening cosmetics banned by FDA for containing mercury above
the maximum allowable limit of one part per million (ppm).

The products, costing P60 to P250 each, were obtained from stores selling
beauty products and Chinese medicines located at or near well-known bargain
shopping malls in Divisoria and Quiapo.

Mercury in the range of 517 to 25,300 ppm, way above the trace amount limit of 1
ppm, were detected on the samples as per chemical screening using a handheld
X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) device.

“We urge consumers not to fall victim to the deceptive promises of these
illegal cosmetic imports such as fairer skin complexion, treatment of acne, and
the removal of aging spots, freckles and other skin woes,” said Thony Dizon,
Chemical Safety Campaigner, EcoWaste Coalition.

Dizon cited, as an example, Goree Beauty Cream utterly false claim of “no
side-effects” as indicated on the label although its mercury content was 25,300
times the permissible limit. On the contrary, using this product may
cause serious side-effects, Dizon emphasized. The FDA last October
2017 banned two variants of Goree skin creams from Pakistan due to
their mercury content.

Goree, as written on the label, “not only whitens the
skin, it gives a glossy and pinkish teenage look.” Mercury was not
on the ingredients’ list, and no precautionary warning was provided about the
health effects of mercury exposure.

According to the World Health Organization, users of mercury-containing skin
whitening cosmetics may experience skin discoloration, rashes and scarring and
reduced skin’s resistance to bacterial and fungal infections, while repeated
applications can cause damage to the brain, the nervous system and the kidneys.

Symptoms of mercury poisoning may include change in the ability
to taste, difficulty to concentrate, excessive shyness, weakened hearing and
vision, insomnia, irritability, memory problems, numbness and tingling in
hands, feet or around mouth, and tremors.

To avoid mercury exposure in cosmetics, the EcoWaste
Coalition encouraged Filipinos to take pride in our natural skin complexion. “There is beauty and dignity in our
‘kayumangging kaligatan,’” the group pointed out.

If a fairer skin tone is really desired, the group advised consumers to seek
medical advice from a licensed dermatologist, and to desist from using skin whitening
cosmetics that have not gone through FDA’s quality and safety evaluation and are
not guaranteed free of mercury and other health-damaging substances.

Here is the list of the 10 skin whitening cosmetics and their mercury content
as per XRF screening:

04 February 2018

Garbage temporarily dumped in front of a public park and children's playground in Pedro Gil St. Photo taken on 2 January 2018.

Trash piles up along Pedro Gil St. near Taft Ave. Photo taken on 3 February 2018.

Reacting to Manila Mayor Joseph
“Erap” Estrada’s latest appeal to Manileños to mind
their garbage, the EcoWaste Coalition urged the local government to strictly
enforce the city's ordinances for a cleaner environment.

Last Thursday, Estrada appealed anew to Manila’s 1.8 million residents to
reduce their trash generation estimated at more than 2,000 tons per day with a
big portion of the wasted ending up in the streets, drainage pipes and
waterways as reported by the city’s Department of Public Services.

“Despite putting up the signage ‘kung hindi mo kayang linisin ang kapaligiran,
huwag mo na lang dumihan’ all over the city, Manila continues to be plagued by
litter and trash,” she said.

“Perhaps it’s high time for the city government to try a different tack in order
to clean up the capital city,” she suggested.

Manila will not start from scratch, the EcoWaste Coalition emphasized.

“Relevant city ordinances already exist and should be actively enforced.
And good practices in ecological solid waste management at various levels and
settings, we believe, are on hand waiting to be recognized, supported and
replicated,” Lucero said.

“While it’s important to implement the anti-littering ordinance issued in 1994,
Manila should fully enforce the plastic bag ban ordinance approved in 2012, and
the encompassing Environmental Code that Erap himself signed in 2014,” she
said.

City Ordinance 8371 provides for the Environmental Code that aims to protect
the city’s environment from further degradation and promote sustainable development
with strong participation from stakeholders.

In line with Estrada’s 10-point agenda that includes “cleanliness,” the
EcoWaste Coalition urged the city to realize its plan to “establish an
effective solid waste management system.”

“If holistically and seriously implemented with nonstop public information and
education, the planned system can help a lot in preventing and reducing
garbage, while creating waste-related jobs and enterprises,” Lucero said.

With a big number of informal waste workers living and working in Manila, the
EcoWaste Coalition also urged the city authorities to look at how this thriving
sector can be integrated into the system.

“The inclusion of the informal waste sector into the system can yield a lot of
benefits, especially in promoting secured employment, decent livelihood and
access to social services among waste pickers and recyclers, and in improving
their working environment, which can be very hazardous and toxic,” Lucero
added.

01 February 2018

A non-profit
environmental health organization has sought the help of the Department of
Interior and Local Government (DILG) in promoting the use of lead safe paints
by local government units (LGUs), particularly for publicly-funded projects.

In a letter delivered to the office of DILG Officer-in-Charge Eduardo Año, the
EcoWaste Coalition requested the department to issue a directive in support of
the government’s drive led by the Department of Environment and Natural
Resources (DENR) to eliminate paints that pose lead hazards to children,
workers and other vulnerable groups.“We seek
your earnest support in ensuring that only certified lead safe paints are used
by the country’s LGUs in line with the national government’s policy phasing out
lead-containing architectural, decorative and household (ADH) paints that took
effect in 2017,” wrote Eileen Sison, President, EcoWaste Coalition.“LGUs, as
a major paint consumer and as a strategic partner in the enforcement of the
country’s environmental, health and children’s welfare policies, should take
full cognizance of the national and global drive to eliminate lead paint and to
fully support it,” she said.

To mainstream the use of certified lead safe paints by the LGUs, the group
requested Año to consider issuing a directive complementing DENR A.O. 2013-24,
or the Chemical Control Order for Lead and Lead Compounds, similar to the
policy issuances made by the Department of Education and the Department of
Social Work and Development in 2017.

DepEd mandated the mandatory use of lead safe paints in schools through
Department Order 4, series of 2017, while the DSWD issued a memorandum
requiring residential and non-residential facilities managed or operated by the
department and accredited agencies to use lead safe paints.

The requested DILG directive, according to the EcoWaste Coalition, should
emphasize the adoption of a “Lead Safe Paint Procurement Policy” to ensure that
LGUs only purchase and use lead safe paints for painting jobs paid out of
public funds.

The said directive should also ensure that the other prohibited uses of lead and lead
compounds such as the ban on their use in the manufacture of school
supplies, toys and other children’s products, including indoor and outdoor
playground equipment, are duly observed.

As public information is key to the effective implementation of the policy, the
directive should also provide for appropriate activities to be carried out that
will sensitize government personnel and the general public about lead exposure
sources, symptoms and effects, and preventive measures.

In this regard,
DILG’s and LGUs’ participation in the annual observance of the UN-backed
International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week of Action every last week of
October, is recommended by the group.

DENR A.O.
2013-24 bans the manufacture, importation, distribution, sale and use of paints
containing lead, a toxic chemical, above the threshold limit of 90 parts per
million (ppm).

It also establishes a three-year phase-out period (2013-2016) of
lead-containing paints used for architectural, decorative and household applications,
and a six-year phase-out period (2013-2019) of lead-containing paints for
industrial applications.

The
ongoing phase-out of lead-containing paints in the Philippines is in line with the
global goal of eliminating such paints by 2020 and their associated
hazards and risks to human health, particularly the health of children.

As stated by the World Health Organization, “children are particularly
vulnerable to the neurotoxic effects of lead, and even relatively low levels of
exposure can cause serious and in some cases irreversible neurological
damage.”

About Me

is a public interest network of community, church, school, environmental and health groups pursuing sustainable solutions to waste, climate change and chemical issues facing the Philippines and the world.